I will be traveling to the game with Millwall fans as I will be traveling from Peckham. There are Charlton fans who come from other London boroughs who will use London Bridge or the Jubilee to the O2.
Spoke to one of the directors about this who said that it was out of the club's hands and a police decision they weren't happy about.
Police rationale was if the Spanners were kept in they'd smash the place up and/or fight the old bill.
In case you want to let the crowd go the museum will be open after the game.
And what did he say when you pointed out that every other club keeps the Spanners and all other away fans in after games, and they dont smash the place up or fight the old bill?
I suspect the OB are quietly sh!tting themselves about tomorrow. They've got 1600 on Tommy Robinson's demo and the Stand Up to Racism counter protest, including 500 dragged in from other forces, so probably undermanned for a Charlton/Millwall game compared to past years. Expect zero flex or assistance from them tomorrow, they will be stretched thin and in no mood look weak.
I suspect the OB are quietly sh!tting themselves about tomorrow. They've got 1600 on Tommy Robinson's demo and the Stand Up to Racism counter protest, including 500 dragged in from other forces, so probably undermanned for a Charlton/Millwall game compared to past years. Expect zero flex or assistance from them tomorrow, they will be stretched thin and in no mood look weak.
Plus palace v Sunderland arsenal v Forrest Fulham v Leeds West Ham v Tottenham Brentford v chelsea Watford v Blackburn Wimbledon v rotherham Leyton orient v bolton
This isn’t the club’s fault. Mick is pretty good at managing the police, but in the end they decide and especially outside the ground. I also understand that the club doesn’t want to “own” the story, but it is pitiful that it left it to the police to tweet it and as ever no one at the club will put their name to its position. That’s what you get paid for, guys.
I remember AB stating at the beginning of the season that the Comms Dept was under staffed .
IF that's the reason behind the lack of comms from Comms, then it's about time that the powers that be did something to remedy this....and sooner rather than later. We, the fans are seemingly the last to know about news that directly affects us and as such , our matchday enjoyment is often fraught with issues despite the "solid" plans we have made.
This is by no means the first time this season that this Dept has failed to live up to its name....and we're only 4 games in !
Time to pass the hat around maybe or for the various Fans' Groups to put this item high on the next agenda ?
It bothers me that we all so easily accept that if “the police” have decided something we all just have to shut up and accept it. We are not an authoritarian state, and this is not a matter of national security. This particular police unit has imposed something on our club which no other police unit in England has done. And while I don’t agree at all with the cuts to police manpower, this excuse of the central London flashpoints doesnt wash with me, as this is a repeat of what Greenwich police did 12 years ago when they had more manpower and no distractions in central London.
Its too late to stop tomorrows fiasco, but we really ought to be demanding a club/fan rep meeting with Greenwich Police, where they explain their unique approach to away fan policing for this fixture.
This isn’t the club’s fault. Mick is pretty good at managing the police, but in the end they decide and especially outside the ground. I also understand that the club doesn’t want to “own” the story, but it is pitiful that it left it to the police to tweet it and as ever no one at the club will put their name to its position. That’s what you get paid for, guys.
I remember AB stating at the beginning of the season that the Comms Dept was under staffed .
IF that's the reason behind the lack of comms from Comms, then it's about time that the powers that be did something to remedy this....and sooner rather than later. We, the fans are seemingly the last to know about news that directly affects us and as such , our matchday enjoyment is often fraught with issues despite the "solid" plans we have made.
This is by no means the first time this season that this Dept has failed to live up to its name....and we're only 4 games in !
Time to pass the hat around maybe or for the various Fans' Groups to put this item high on the next agenda ?
This isn't an understaffing issue, this is a purposefully not communicating issue. Takes 5 minutes to come up with an appropriate statement/tweet
No point chatting about it , just ignore it and do what we normally do - the police can’t stop 20,000 people
This.
As Jim Morrusin said...."they've got the guns but we've got he numbers"
The OB wont be able to stop thousands of people walking up Floyd rd. What are the going to do....kettle us ?? Charge with horses ??
The reason why the OB are doing it this way is because they know 3k Millwall fans would cause merry hell but 20k Charlton fans will just comply.
I tried causing a scene at the Den last time we were there in 2019. No one bothered backing me up & just stood meekly in the rain whilst we were not allowed to go home.
It bothers me that we all so easily accept that if “the police” have decided something we all just have to shut up and accept it. We are not an authoritarian state, and this is not a matter of national security. This particular police unit has imposed something on our club which no other police unit in England has done. And while I don’t agree at all with the cuts to police manpower, this excuse of the central London flashpoints doesnt wash with me, as this is a repeat of what Greenwich police did 12 years ago when they had more manpower and no distractions in central London.
Its too late to stop tomorrows fiasco, but we really ought to be demanding a club/fan rep meeting with Greenwich Police, where they explain their unique approach to away fan policing for this fixture.
A couple of things for me
One, it’s been announced way too late. If this was the plan, the police, the club, whoever, should’ve been proactive about letting everyone know this was the decision a few weeks ago
Two, I think that there’s a lot going on 2mo in London re; a stretched met police force and the timing of us playing Millwall coincides with West Ham Spurs, other London fixtures and this ‘march of freedom stuff’. I genuinely think that in the interests of making it as easy as possible and avoiding any sort of silliness they’ve opted for segregation. Of course, it’s a piss take and inconvenience, but Floyd Road is tight. As fans all congregate walking back up toward the station, it’s not inconceivable it kicks off and you’ve got two sets of fans going at it in a confined space, something no one wants to see
Three, I completely get the argument about keeping them back and that would be my preferred choice, but is this a case of getting both sets of fans out asap, avoiding the slightest possible fracas. Regardless of the frustration re: we feel getting kept in post games at the Den, we’re not police officers who do this stuff week in week out. Is this just the most efficient, safest way to prevent a few idiots from kicking off.
I completely get the frustration and what seems from the outside looking in, a farce, but maybe this is the most sensible way of avoiding any sort of nonsense, taking info the consideration the game. Not to associate any extremism to the day, but would anyone really want to read about anything kicking off post match. Life’s too short. It’s just a game of football that hopefully we can revel in winning this time 2mo
It bothers me that we all so easily accept that if “the police” have decided something we all just have to shut up and accept it. We are not an authoritarian state, and this is not a matter of national security. This particular police unit has imposed something on our club which no other police unit in England has done. And while I don’t agree at all with the cuts to police manpower, this excuse of the central London flashpoints doesnt wash with me, as this is a repeat of what Greenwich police did 12 years ago when they had more manpower and no distractions in central London.
Its too late to stop tomorrows fiasco, but we really ought to be demanding a club/fan rep meeting with Greenwich Police, where they explain their unique approach to away fan policing for this fixture.
A couple of things for me
One, it’s been announced way too late. If this was the plan, the police, the club, whoever, should’ve been proactive about letting everyone know this was the decision a few weeks ago
Two, I think that there’s a lot going on 2mo in London re; a stretched met police force and the timing of us playing Millwall coincides with West Ham Spurs, other London fixtures and this ‘march of freedom stuff’. I genuinely think that in the interests of making it as easy as possible and avoiding any sort of silliness they’ve opted for segregation. Of course, it’s a piss take and inconvenience, but Floyd Road is tight. As fans all congregate walking back up toward the station, it’s not inconceivable it kicks off and you’ve got two sets of fans going at it in a confined space, something no one wants to see
Three, I completely get the argument about keeping them back and that would be my preferred choice, but is this a case of getting both sets of fans out asap, avoiding the slightest possible fracas. Regardless of the frustration re: we feel getting kept in post games at the Den, we’re not police officers who do this stuff week in week out. Is this just the most efficient, safest way to prevent a few idiots from kicking off.
I completely get the frustration and what seems from the outside looking in, a farce, but maybe this is the most sensible way of avoiding any sort of nonsense, taking info the consideration the game. Not to associate any extremism to the day, but would anyone really want to read about anything kicking off post match. Life’s too short. It’s just a game of football that hopefully we can revel in winning this time 2mo
It's a slippery slope.
We've already been held back at our own ground to let them leave (2015? 2017 ?) and now we are told we have to do a 20 min circular walk just so they can have first use of the trains.
As @pragueaddick said, we are not a totalitarian state. But it seems to be getting that way.
My final point.
It's funny because it doesn't actually affect me as I get the bus home & will be heading in the opposite direction. But I like to stand up authority when I think its abusing its powers. IF I was heading to the station after the game I would turn left out of the ground & up Floyd rd. Then I would decide what I would do depending on what the circumstances were. I certainly wouldnt meekly follow the crowd past The Oak, over the railway line & along the Woolwich rd.
Is it unfair to presume that a number of Millwall fans will go from the match to join Tommy Robinson's March for Freedom? This starts at 11.30 and the counter march at 12.00. From a policing POV keeping Millwall behind for an hour delays them get into central London around mid afternoon when there is a high risk of trouble between opposing protestors? Also if Millwall fans were kept in for an hour after the match and did start to smash and damage the away end, don't we have CCTV, stewards & police to manage Away fans & any damage caused Millwall club would have to pay?
Seems to me the police have chose the easy out option of policing the Charlton fans rather the Millwall ones. Expect rows of them blocking the road by the club shop after and no doubt intimidation / provocation/ hassle that just didn’t need to be there.
They will also have to be on the corner of Valley Grove/ Floyd Rd to stop the spanners walking down towards the club shop, along with being on the corner of the Antigallican. So basically need three times as many on a day when they’ve got very little to do.
I suspect the OB are quietly sh!tting themselves about tomorrow. They've got 1600 on Tommy Robinson's demo and the Stand Up to Racism counter protest, including 500 dragged in from other forces, so probably undermanned for a Charlton/Millwall game compared to past years. Expect zero flex or assistance from them tomorrow, they will be stretched thin and in no mood look weak.
Plus palace v Sunderland arsenal v Forrest Fulham v Leeds West Ham v Tottenham Brentford v chelsea Watford v Blackburn Wimbledon v rotherham Leyton orient v bolton
We're all pretty clued up what's going to happen today but l bet there are thousands of ours and spanners who have no idea what today's arrangements are.
The fixture list and the amount of games in London today does seem odd. Didn’t anybody responsible for the safety of fans look at the overall fixture list and think the resources of the police might be a little stretched? Or did the police think / hope some of the games would be moved from a Saturday by the broadcasters?
Just been informed by the police that following the final whistle, all Charlton fans on here will have to go through a series of bicycle, road sign and cars recognition screens before their posts are processed. This will continue until @MillwallFan and @Big_Bad_World have safely stopped posting after the game.
The moderators were really against it I’m told, but readily agreed none the less.
I think we ought to take the positives from this. If, as a collective of Charlton fans we want to get home earlier from away games, all we have to do is smash up a few pubs, organise mass thieving from shops, abuse anybody who isn’t a caucasian and, finally, rip up the seats and set fire to the home stands.
Both sets of supporters will be travelling to the ground on the same buses,trains and tubes,there is nothing you can do about it as fans of both clubs live virtually next door to each other.When the away fans enter Floyd Road,there is no way to avoid criss crossing with the home fans heading to the homes areas.Old bill will have to be alert rather than just hanging about having a chat like they normally do,but I bet there will be no trouble before the game.But I do think that if we win,things could bet a bit dodgy.
It bothers me that we all so easily accept that if “the police” have decided something we all just have to shut up and accept it. We are not an authoritarian state, and this is not a matter of national security. This particular police unit has imposed something on our club which no other police unit in England has done. And while I don’t agree at all with the cuts to police manpower, this excuse of the central London flashpoints doesnt wash with me, as this is a repeat of what Greenwich police did 12 years ago when they had more manpower and no distractions in central London.
Its too late to stop tomorrows fiasco, but we really ought to be demanding a club/fan rep meeting with Greenwich Police, where they explain their unique approach to away fan policing for this fixture.
We don’t but we also can’t make operational police decisions or overrule them if we think they are wrong. This is a decision by the police to take the route of least resistance, in the process punishing our fans for Millwall’s reputation. It is morally wrong and basically an acceptance that they cannot control Millwall fans even with an exceptionally heavy police presence.
The club doesn’t agree with it. It doesn’t have a say in what happens outside the ground and it can’t unilaterally decide to keep the Millwall fans in. The club and the fans have every right to criticise the police publicly, including calling senior officers to account for their decisions.
As far as the comms are concerned, it’s a cultural thing rather than a resources one. This issue doesn’t really affect the decision makers at the club and this is not the 2000s where the board would stand up for fans. It runs through all their comms. That’s where we are.
I'd like to see the club put us first. Put a statement out this Is down to the police. But going forward if our own fans are to be inconvenienced by this fixture. In future Charlton v Millwall will be home fans only.
I'd like to see the club put us first. Put a statement out this Is down to the police. But going forward if our own fans are to be inconvenienced by this fixture. In future Charlton v Millwall will be home fans only.
That’s not a decision the club can make, and rightly so.
Comments
palace v Sunderland
arsenal v Forrest
Fulham v Leeds
West Ham v Tottenham
Brentford v chelsea
Watford v Blackburn
Wimbledon v rotherham
Leyton orient v bolton
Total nightmare on the trains incoming
IF that's the reason behind the lack of comms from Comms, then it's about time that the powers that be did something to remedy this....and sooner rather than later. We, the fans are seemingly the last to know about news that directly affects us and as such , our matchday enjoyment is often fraught with issues despite the "solid" plans we have made.
This is by no means the first time this season that this Dept has failed to live up to its name....and we're only 4 games in !
Time to pass the hat around maybe or for the various Fans' Groups to put this item high on the next agenda ?
Its too late to stop tomorrows fiasco, but we really ought to be demanding a club/fan rep meeting with Greenwich Police, where they explain their unique approach to away fan policing for this fixture.
As Jim Morrusin said...."they've got the guns but we've got he numbers"
The OB wont be able to stop thousands of people walking up Floyd rd. What are the going to do....kettle us ?? Charge with horses ??
The reason why the OB are doing it this way is because they know 3k Millwall fans would cause merry hell but 20k Charlton fans will just comply.
I tried causing a scene at the Den last time we were there in 2019. No one bothered backing me up & just stood meekly in the rain whilst we were not allowed to go home.
What is this......communist China ?
3 Millwall fans arrested for fighting police.
764 protesters arrested in London for inciting racial hatred holding up England flags.
make it make sense.
One, it’s been announced way too late. If this was the plan, the police, the club, whoever, should’ve been proactive about letting everyone know this was the decision a few weeks ago
Two, I think that there’s a lot going on 2mo in London re; a stretched met police force and the timing of us playing Millwall coincides with West Ham Spurs, other London fixtures and this ‘march of freedom stuff’. I genuinely think that in the interests of making it as easy as possible and avoiding any sort of silliness they’ve opted for segregation. Of course, it’s a piss take and inconvenience, but Floyd Road is tight. As fans all congregate walking back up toward the station, it’s not inconceivable it kicks off and you’ve got two sets of fans going at it in a confined space, something no one wants to see
Three, I completely get the argument about keeping them back and that would be my preferred choice, but is this a case of getting both sets of fans out asap, avoiding the slightest possible fracas. Regardless of the frustration re: we feel getting kept in post games at the Den, we’re not police officers who do this stuff week in week out. Is this just the most efficient, safest way to prevent a few idiots from kicking off.
I completely get the frustration and what seems from the outside looking in, a farce, but maybe this is the most sensible way of avoiding any sort of nonsense, taking info the consideration the game. Not to associate any extremism to the day, but would anyone really want to read about anything kicking off post match. Life’s too short. It’s just a game of football that hopefully we can revel in winning this time 2mo
I cannot see that working, losing money coupled with how many spanners would get tickets which would then create further problems.
We've already been held back at our own ground to let them leave (2015? 2017 ?) and now we are told we have to do a 20 min circular walk just so they can have first use of the trains.
As @pragueaddick said, we are not a totalitarian state. But it seems to be getting that way.
My final point.
It's funny because it doesn't actually affect me as I get the bus home & will be heading in the opposite direction. But I like to stand up authority when I think its abusing its powers. IF I was heading to the station after the game I would turn left out of the ground & up Floyd rd. Then I would decide what I would do depending on what the circumstances were. I certainly wouldnt meekly follow the crowd past The Oak, over the railway line & along the Woolwich rd.
For God sake.....stand up for yourselves !
Also if Millwall fans were kept in for an hour after the match and did start to smash and damage the away end, don't we have CCTV, stewards & police to manage Away fans & any damage caused Millwall club would have to pay?
The club doesn’t agree with it. It doesn’t have a say in what happens outside the ground and it can’t unilaterally decide to keep the Millwall fans in. The club and the fans have every right to criticise the police publicly, including calling senior officers to account for their decisions.
As far as the comms are concerned, it’s a cultural thing rather than a resources one. This issue doesn’t really affect the decision makers at the club and this is not the 2000s where the board would stand up for fans. It runs through all their comms. That’s where we are.
Put a statement out this Is down to the police.
But going forward if our own fans are to be inconvenienced by this fixture.
In future Charlton v Millwall will be home fans only.